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Bill Fishman & Affiliates me questions about the merchandise or try to give me money for their purchases.

. Any store parking lot that requires a left-hand turn crossing more than one lane of heavy traffic.

. Any store that insists on writing a ticket on merchandise I can easily self select and take to the cashier.

11650 lberia Place r PRICE CLUB For any purchase that won't fit in my car trunk, they offer no help or suggestions for getting bulky material home.

IT WAS almost l0 years ago when I Harvey Rosenf then general merchandise manager of Handyman, accepted my invitation to address the National Home Center Show. He used the term "comfort zone" in his speech. It was the first time most of us in the audience had heard it.To illustrate the term.Rosen invitedus tofold our arms. He than asked us to unfold them and then to refold them in the opposite direction. (Try it!) In /ftal position Rosen reminded us we were all "outside-of-ourcomfort-zone." He then went on to make his point about store layouts, visual merchandising, services and how they all affect the customer's comfort zone.

San Diego, Ca.92128 comfort zone in most home centers. The article went on to list a number of quotes, beefs and attitudes remodelers perceive about home centers. It started me thinking about those retail stores which I avoid because when I'm in them , I'm outside my comfort zone.

. MANHATTAN PIZZA In Rancho Bernardogreat pizza,but I can't stand that rock n' roll music constantly blaring for the benefit of the help.

. Any store where it's obvious that the man who writes my pick-up ticket for the yard tallyman has no idea the merchandise is still in stock.

I was reminded of Rosen's speech recently when I read a story about criticisms which remodelers have concerning home centers. In a focus group session, one contractor remarked that he felt outside his

. SAKS FIFIH AVENUE Regretfully, I don't fit the prototype of a Saks customer and their sales people make sure I know it. (Neiman Marcus, on the other hand, likes my patronage.)

WOOLWORTH When I'm dressed in a a tie and jacket, customers keep asking call:

The remodeler article also reminded me how neglected a research tool focus groups and consumer advisory councils can be for home centers and building material dealers. In the past year, I have been involved in organizing consumer groups for both manufacturers and retailers. It is an enjoyable and eye-opening experience for both the management and the consumer group. It's a surprising experience for the store management. I've watched a consumer panel stand in unison to applaud the retailer for having the initiative to size-up the community.

It is an extremely cost-effective vehicle. Too bad more retailers don't try one on for size.

*Harvey Rosen is president of Handyman today.

Publishers Sells 80% Stake

Jefferson Smurfit Corp. has agreed to buy 8090 of Publishers Paper Co., including four sawmills, two papermills, two particleboard plants and some timber contracts for $150 million. The deal does not include company timberlands. Final agreement on the transaction is expected by March.

Publishers Paper Co. and its solid wood products division have just concluded their best year since 1979, with both operations solidly profitable.

This is the fust venture for Jefferson Smurfit, a Dublin, Ireland paperboard and packing manufacturer, into sawmills and newsprint. Its annual sales are around $700 million.

Goldsmith To Get CrownTimber

Crown Zellerbach chairman Sir James Goldsmith will receive control of the firm's timberlands in exchange for his stock in the company, while James River Corp. will buy most of the remaining operations in a $1.5 billion, two-step deal.

Pending approval by stockholders by March, Goldsmith would exchange his 13.6 million shares he acquired during a $560 million raid in July for control of the timberlands, $90 million in cash, and the Crown container operations and office products unit.

Due to the depression in the timber market, Goldsmith is not expected to show significant profits for years, although he would have a l4-year contract to supply timber to James River.

Western Cities to Boom

Ten of the 20 fastest growing large cities are in the West, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis' projections.

Two of the other 20 million-plus growth areas will be in the Northeast and eight in the South.

In the West, between 1983 and 2000, the population of Phoenix, Az., is expected to increase'by 550/o; Riverside-San Bernardino,, Co., 424/o; Salt Lake City, Ut., 36s/o; Denver, Co., 350/o; Sacramento, Ca., 34t/o ; Anaheim-Santa Ana, Ca., 3290; San Diego, Ca., 32t/0, and Seattle, Wa.,290/0.

Nlot at Mattco.

[!ttnougn it's true, life here commenced forty years ago, we knew from day one, our life blood was the lumber and building materials dealer. _ loud and clear, it ..r" through. Outstanding service had to be combined with dependable quality and variety if we were to make it. From buyer to warehouseman, to the truck driver making the delivery, to the salesman making the sale. All had to keep the one, most importantiliingthe customer - in mind, first and foremost.

fiorty years ago it was recognized that we would exist for and because of the customer. lt worked then, it's worked through the years, it's working now, and, we are confident it willcontinue to work in the future. Few things are constant. Customer recognition isone.

Itt yo, are doing business with us, youknow whatwe mean. lf you aren'twith us, give us atryand see what forty years of "live" service, sensible prices, and consistant quality can do for your prof it picture,